OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Pressured by the agri-business and nuclear industries, Health Canada is on the verge of approving food irradiation for ground beef, prawns, poultry and mangoes. This would put the health of Canadians in jeopardy and would simply provide a cover that would not solve the unsanitary conditions found in many slaughterhouses and meat processing plants.

Scientific testing over the past thirty years has demonstrated a myriad of problems associated with the absorption of irradiated food: a higher index of genetic mutation and reproductive dysfunction in rats, elevated levels of embryonic deaths in mice and chromosomal aberrations in human blood cells. It has also been proven that irradiation destroys nutrients such as vitamins and creates unique byproducts such as cyclobutanones, which has been linked to colon cancer.

Patty Lovera, deputy director of the Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program of U.S.-based Public Citizen, is in Ottawa today at the invitation of a group of civil society organisations as an expert-counsel to testify on the consequences of irradiated food.

"Irradiation is being touted by the meat industry as a 'cure-all' for food-borne illness, but it has very real health risks" says Lovera. "Irradiation doesn't address the issue of dirty slaughterhouse, where meat comes in contact with feces and other contaminants. It would be so easy to become lax with health safety precautions and just think everything will be fine with a little radiation."

Shawn-Patrick Stensil of the Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout stated "Food and radiation should not be mixed. There are simpler, cheaper and more effective ways to ensure food safety, without the health and environmental problems of irradiation."

Andrea Peart of Sierra Club of Canada stated, "Canadians will reject food irradiation in the stores of the nation. We need clean, organic foods without the risks posed by irradiation."

Health Canada has submitted amendments to food irradiation provisions under the Food and Drug regulations. Irradiation is already allowed on non-meat items such as potatoes, flour, wheat and spices, but isn't widely used because of the high cost and consumer rejection, which has been demonstrated in the department's own polls.

Health Canada has tried to limit public input by holding information meetings with little notice or lead time. No meeting was originally scheduled in Ottawa, but public pressure has forced an additional meeting in the nation's capital. Public interest groups appealed (with no success) to Health Minister Anne McLellan to improve the process.

The last Health Canada information session/hearing will be held tonight at Montpetit Hall at the University of Ottawa (125 University St., Room 203) at 7 pm. Citizens can submit briefs to Health Canada until February 24th.

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